Chocolate Covered Valentine
by Neuroleptic
Summary: A short Valentine's day story involving Ami, Makoto, and chocolate syrup.


_See disclaimer in profile. This is a stand alone one shot story written in response to a writing challenge posted on Sailor Doc and Crawlspace's web sight. The random item to write about this month is Chocolate Syrup. Reviews and advice are always appreciated._

* * *

**Chocolate Covered Valentine**

"Uh . . . Mako-chan, where's the nutmeg?" Usagi asked as she rifled through several different bags of nuts.

Usagi, Minako, Makoto, Rei and Ami had all gotten together at Makoto's house to 'help' Makoto cook snacks for the ongoing Valentine's day party. Makoto had insisted she didn't need help, and the others insisted she did. Thus, Usagi was on a quest for ingredients for a chocolate cake. So far she had scrounged a bag of flour, a bottle of chocolate syrup, one egg, a half cup of milk, and was now in the process of looking for nutmeg.

A shy voice from across the kitchen called out, "It's over here." Ami gestured at a space on the counter while she continued to stir batter for her strawberry cupcakes.

Usagi looked at Ami as if she thought the girl was playing some kind of prank on her. "You're so silly, Ami-chan. There aren't any nuts over there."

Minako unsuccessfully attempted to stifle a laugh as Rei grabbed a jar off the spice rack and said under her breath, "Stupid Usagi, Nutmeg is a type of spice!"

Then the Miko tore the recipe away from Usagi, scanned the ingredients list, and glared at the blonde. "Nutmeg isn't even _in _this recipe."

Usagi nodded her head vigorously. "Yes I know! It's an improvement that I'm adding to it to try to help bring out the color more."

Minako looked at Usagi and said sagely, "Usagi, perfection gives improvement. You can't improve on a recipe Makoto created. It's impossible! Not to mention rude, since Makoto puts so much time and love into her creations."

While Ami poured her mix into a cupcake tray that made the cakes form into hearts, she asked, "Don't you mean, 'Perfection takes time'?"

Minako smiled happily and answered, "Well, I suppose you could say that, but I like my way better."

This time Rei turned to Minako and asked in irritation, "Minako, if Usagi can't improve on Makoto's recipe's, doesn't that mean you shouldn't try to improve other people's sayings that have been perfected for hundreds of years?" With those words, one would have thought world war three broke out as Usagi, Minako, and Rei got into a three way argument on the merits of improving a master's creation.

As the three of them argued, Makoto put her pie in the oven and for a moment observed the only other person besides herself that was actually taking the activity seriously.

Of all of them, Ami was the one that Makoto felt had been looking forward to today most of all. This was the first year Ami would have a reason to celebrate Valentine's day since the two of them had gotten together late last year.

On their first date, Ami had mentioned that she had always hated Valentine's day. Every year it was the same thing. Most of her friends had someone to gush over, dates, cards, roses, the whole show. This always caused Ami to feel somewhat left out when the fourteenth of February rolled around. She used to tell herself she had her homework and that was enough to keep her mind off of it, but in her heart she knew that wasn't the truth. Makoto had sworn to do everything she could to make the day memorable for her.

Makoto suddenly realized Ami was watching her with a thoughtful expression on her face. As a shy smile appeared on her face, Ami gestured toward the door leading out of the kitchen, then pointed at Makoto, then to herself, then to the door again.

The brunette couldn't hide the smile as she realized what Ami was asking. Makoto gestured with her hands and bowed politely as she thought to herself, 'After you.'

It took everything Makoto had in her not to burst out laughing as Ami casually stepped over Rei when the Miko crashed to the floor after being beaned upside the head with a loaf of French bread by Minako. Just as the door closed behind the two of them, a bag of flour was torn open by Usagi as its contents were emptied on top of Rei's head.

Ami gently guided Makoto to the living room couch, saying "I know we all agreed we weren't getting each other anything to keep Usagi from thinking about Mamoru being away at collage, but I couldn't stop myself, Mako-chan. I suppose it's alright since they are preoccupied at the moment and I--" She stopped talking when Makoto grabbed her hands and gently pulled the smaller girl toward her.

Makoto smiled and said, "You're cute when you're nervous, you know that?"

Ami said somewhat defensively, "I'm not nervous."

She gave Ami's hands a gentle squeeze then continued, "You ramble when you're nervous." Makoto sat down on the couch and gently guided Ami to do the same while not letting go of her hands. "You don't need to make excuses for wanting to follow tradition. Besides, I got you something too. I was going to wait for the others to leave, but since you want to give me mine now, it's only fair that I give you this now too."

Makoto leaned over as she reached behind the couch and pulled a small bouquet of roses from their hiding place, then gently placed them in Ami's hands so she could admire the flowers.

Ami's smile was enough for Makoto to know her girlfriend liked them. Then Ami's cheeks turned just a slight shade of red when Makoto gently pulled Ami on top of herself. Makoto tilted Ami's chin up just a bit while leaning closer . . . and closer . . .

Ami jerked away suddenly as she remembered why she had brought Makoto out here in the first place while she said, "I still need to get you your present."

As Ami wandered over to her backpack in the hallway, a loud, shrill scream came from the kitchen, causing them both to stop and listen to the 'conversation' going on in the other room. Usagi's voice squealed out, "No, Minako! Don't put that down my shirt!" Her pleading was followed seconds later by, "Eew gross! It's slimy!" There was a crashing sound that sounded distinctly like a pie tray hitting a wall to Makoto, and then the argument went back to being a non-descript roar between the three again.

The brunette turned and looked back at Ami. "So anyway, what did you get me?"

"Oh right!" Ami blurted out as she resumed rifling through her backpack. "Here it is."

She then walked over to Makoto with a small box in her hand. Makoto hadn't expected Ami to get her jewelry. Feeling suddenly cheap, Makoto's cheeks turned just a touch pink herself.

Ami grinned and placed the small box in Makoto's palm. "Go ahead, open it. I think you'll like it."

Makoto lifted the lid of the box and peeked inside. It was a gold chain necklace with a small rose pendant like the ones on her earrings. Ami took the necklace and carefully clipped it around Makoto's neck. "What do you think? I saw it at the store and just thought it would look good on you."

The smile on her lips reached her green eyes as Makoto said, "It's perfect. There is one other thing I want to give you, though."

Makoto slowly pulled Ami closer to her once more. Their eyes closed as they moved toward each other.. She could feel Ami's breath on her lips, just moments away from a romantic kiss and then . . .

A loud bang was their only warning for the chaos that was about to be unleashed upon them as the door to the kitchen flew open. Someone had pushed Usagi and she was now screaming at the top of her lungs as she was sent sliding out of the kitchen with one of her feet on top of a bottle of chocolate syrup. In an attempt to stop herself, the clumsy blonde shifted her weight onto the foot that had the bottle of chocolate syrup under it, squishing it.

This caused the bottle to tilt at just the right angle to spray its contents all over Ami's face and clothing, while throwing Usagi to the floor causing a loud, messy squish sound both from the syrup smacking against Ami, and from the whip cream Minako had poured down Usagi's shirt when she hit the ground.

All movement in the apartment stopped after that. Ami just stared dumbfounded at Usagi from underneath a layer of chocolate syrup while Makoto had a mortified expression on her face that was quickly turning to one of pure rage. Rei and Minako had frozen right where they were in the kitchen seconds before Rei was about to hurl another half finished pie at Minako.

Makoto growled two simple words that stated everything she was thinking. "Out. _Now_." Then she pointed at the door.

For a moment no one moved. Then Rei and Minako slunk toward the door as quietly as they could, stopping only to grab Usagi on the way. There were quiet apologies mumbled from the three as the door was slowly closed behind them.

Ami sighed as she looked down at her now ruined clothing then said, "Well, my school uniform is still hanging in your room, so I suppose I'll just put that back on and go home." She looked up at Makoto and smiled, then said "Well, while it's not exactly how I pictured our evening ending, it'll definitely be one I won't soon forget." Then she walked over to Makoto, stood on her tippy toes, and gave her a kiss on the cheek before going down the hallway toward Makoto's room.

When Ami was halfway there, Makoto called out playfully, "Out of curiosity, just how were you expecting it to end?"

Ami stopped dead in her tracks as her face turned beet red. Ami stammered out, "Well, I uh . . . you know, . . . it's Valentine's day and . . . uh . . . Well, I suppose I'll be going since the mood isn't quite right for . . . uh . . . that sort of . . . thing."

Makoto scrunched her eyes closed in annoyance. Her friends had just cost her a chance at getting . . . "When I see those three again I'm going to kill them so fa--" She stopped talking when she opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was the bottle of chocolate syrup sitting on the carpet where Usagi had left it. Makoto picked it up and looked at it curiously for a few seconds.

Then a smile slowly formed on her face as an idea came to her. She could hear the sound of rustling fabric from the bedroom as Ami got out of the chocolate covered clothing and her smile grew even bigger as her idea turned into a plan. Makoto gave one more thoughtful look at the container of chocolate syrup, then tossed it back and forth from one hand to the other as she casually walked down the hall toward her chocolate covered Valentine.


End file.
